National Republican., 1887-05-11
STORY OF THE DEFENSE.
DANF0RTH'S FLUID AND ROSIN SCAT.
TERED ABOUT THE HOUSE.
Put There to KIN Bedbugs and Reaches
Witnesses Disagreeing in Their
statements-Trying to Disprove tho
Authorship of tho Dugan Letter.

There are slight prospects that the trial
of Mary ]. Mcbride and Jno. w. McFar-.
land, charged with house burning in June
last, will reach the jury by the end Of this
week. The government has closed Its case
In chief, and the defense, on the part Of
Mics Mcbride, occupied the greater part of
yesterday in putting in their evidence.
When the criminal court met, Daniel I.
Ames, the New York expert in handwriting,
resumed his testimony, and the cross
examination lasted until near the recess
hour. At the close of the examination the
prosecution rested.
The counsel for Miss Mcbride called as
witness In her defense Thomas Taylor, who
stated that he visited her house often and
was well acquainted with the interior. He
was there the morning OF the fire and did
not see anything out OF the way.
On cross examination he said that he had
been In the habit Of using the back stairs to
go to and from Miss McBrlde's room in go-
Ing to and from the kitchen. He carried
| flowers to the house the morning of the fire.
niture was there and something on the
floor. He did not know whether II was
carpet, rugs, or mating. He went down
stairs and found Miss Mcbride at the table
eating breakfast, and there were four or
| five persons seated ut the same table with
| coal oil about the place. That morning he
| went to the door OF the back room, the
| one occupied by Miss Mcbride, about
| z o'clock. He could look all over the
| room. He did not notice anything differ
ent, and there had been no change from
| what he had seen before.
L. G. Weaver, formerly justice OF the
Il al hat ha ali ta1 t,tttt,
Miss Mcbride when she lived on Eleventh
street. On the Goth Of June she visited his
office. and requested that he would go into
Mr.. Root. Fox's Office and say that she
| would take a certain house on street and,
occupy II the next day.. He knew that the
landlord tf No. 5l5 Eleventh street had
commenced proceedings against her to
was about $50 o'clock on the morning Of
the fire that Mics Mcbride, accomp aned by
Col. Tracey, visited his Office.
| On cross examination the witness stated
that he was interested in the case for the
defendant and was associated counsel In
the case. He appeared for Miss Mcbride In
| the police court and had not yet been dis
charged. He had assisted In getting up
testimony in her behalf.
Ernest &. Reed, ,uphosterer and decorator,
testified to being at the house between Band
5 o'clock after the fire, and saw furniture
piled up on the sidewalk. There were at
least several wagon loads Of 1t.
Mrs. Elizabeth Merriman testified to being
In the house three weeks before the fire,
making an examination, and found It full
OF reaches and bedbugs. Insect powder
yellow stuff-was scattered on the floor with
the aid Of bellows. Danforth's fluid was also
used, that being better for the purposes than
coal oil. Miss Mcbride had small coal oil
stove In her room, and the large coal oil
,cb, hrn,, rI,t t,>th Tl,n
witness used red paint, varnish, and oil on
the furniture and floors. There were two
or three cans Of oil in the house all the
time. The witness and Miss Mcbride did
the oiling on Sunday, and no one else was
engaged In it.
On crossexamination the witness stated
that she resided at 80 Ninth street northeast
would help her about the house. She had
made no dresses for Miss Mcbride since the
fire, and said that those she had made
before that time Miss Mcbride said had all
been burned in the fire. powdered rosln
shown the witness). She thought that
looked like the insect powder which had
been scattered around, but could not say
employ Of Miss Mcbride the day that
scattered the powder. 1t was placed 10
Miss McBride's room, In the room on the
third floor next to the one farthest back, the
back parlor, and the kitchen. Miss Me-
woman walking around down there. The
witness and Miss Mcbride went down the
back stairs together and showed the woman
how to use the powder. When Miss Nc
Bride first went to the house she used coal
| oil lamps. She did not use coal oil to cook
with as she had a range.
Il. G. Hutchinson testified to knowing
i pst1 I've, nI tho 4,
| house when she rented It.; suggested to bei
how to get rid OF the water bugs In
Testing 1t, and for her ordered gallon oi
Danforth fluid sent to the house. This got
mixed by mistake with coal oil, and another
gallon was supplied.
Cyrus Martin, being recalled, testified tc
the bad sanitary condition of premises No
5l5, and the offensive smells coming from
them.
On cross examination the witness sale
that 1t was shortly after Miss McBrid,
came into the house that 1t Was fixed up
and there was no more trouble from 1t Of
offensive smells.
Mrs. Annie L. McArdle testified to selne
Miss Mcbride at the house Of the witnes,
about an hour. They talked about house
on street for rent. Miss Mcbride went tt
see 1t, and returning, spoke Of the bat
condition 1t was In and seemed very muct
discouraged. Miss Mcbride was entlrel,
herself at that time. They were tallSin!
together when the alarm Of fire was
sounded, and there was nothing unusual In
Miss McBride's conduct at that time. Sh,
was entirely natural aud composed. Late
witness saw Miss Mcbride at the latter
house, on Eleventh street, and saw nothing
In her manner remarkable. She was abou
the same as any other person would hay,
been with their house on fire.
Nv as,,t, AIo ii,
that Miss Mcbride did not tell her how tn
, fire occurred, and never had told her.
Messrs. p. E. Dye and Robt. Hyatt aud
Mrs. Cox, residing on the west side o.
: Eleventh street, testified that no furniture
was brought to their houses on Sunday II
June last.
+ George L. Harris, a member of the bar
testified that he first met Miss McBril,
some thirteen years since in Mississippi
and while he was attorney general of tn
state. He employed her as copyist In hi
Office at different times, and was very wei
acquainted with her handwriting. (Mrs
Dugan's letter shown.) The witness sal,
there was a similarity In the letter to he
writing Some of tue letters were YER,
writing was generally more crowded thai
that, and she wrote a larger hand. He
writing was more perpendicular ani
rounder than that of the letter. His opln
ion was that the letter was not In her hand
writing.
On cross-examination the witness dis
sected the letter and pointed out character
similar to those made by Miss Mcbride aut
others that were not He picked out
, small "p" aud large 81" an "E" In Nc
Farland and "y" which he thought diff
} fered from her way OF making these letters
Beyond this he had discovered no differ
ence. The insurance letter Was submitte
to the witness, and he thought that to
In her handwriting. He was asked to CON
pare some Of the letters with those he ha
| axoantaI n In fha nuuan lattara and nd